By removing key barriers to health, Greater Cincinnati can be one of the healthiest regions in the country. We need to lower the number of people using tobacco. We need to turn the tide on our community's heroin epidemic. And get our kids the comprehensive, early healthcare they need to become healthy adults.

Thriving Communities, an initiative of Interact for Health, engages communities in health promotion at a grassroots level. Using coaching, workshops and grants, we help communities implement research-based strategies to improve the well-being of their members. ﻿

Interact for Health is invested in helping nonprofits become self-sufficient. We have developed a series of programs in cooperation with SC Ministry Foundation to help nonprofits build the skills and resources necessary to continue their work after grants end.

To help create connections throughout the philanthropic community, Interact for Health offers our beautiful, state-of-the art Conference Center as a site for non-profit groups and organizations to host meetings, retreats, workshops, and conferences. Over 30,000 people use the facility each year.﻿

A Catalyst for Health and Wellness

For 20 years Interact for Health has served as a catalyst to improve health by promoting health equity in our region through community engagement, grants, research, education and policy. Interact for Health is an independent nonprofit that serves 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

Health in Action

Q&A: Natalie Burke, president and CEO of CommonHealth ACTION

Feb 26th, 2018

Natalie Burke is president and CEO of CommonHealth ACTION, a nonprofit that works with organizations to promote health through equitable, diverse and inclusive policies. Burke spoke with Interact about how CommonHealth ACTION helps the entities it works with make equity part of their daily practice.

Number drops to slightly less than half in Northern Kentucky

Nearly all support having a nurse in each school building.

The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that more than 8 in 10 Kentucky adults (84%) strongly or somewhat favor schools taking a more active role in helping families get health care services for children. Healthy students are able to achieve more academic success than those facing challenges to their health.

More Kentucky adults have favorable opinion about ACA

The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that more Kentucky adults have a favorable opinion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (44%) than a negative opinion (33%). The percent of adults with a favorable opinion has been increasing since the poll first started tracking the ACA in 2010, when it became law. In 2010, 26% had a favorable opinion of the ACA.

One in 4 Kentucky adults concerned about losing their health insurance.

Rate of employer-sponsored health insurance declines; more Northern Kentucky adults lack insurance than in rest of state. The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found one in four (24%) of insured Kentucky adults ages 18 to 64 are concerned about losing health coverage within the next year.

Kentucky adults overwhelmingly favor tobacco-free schools.

The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that nearly 9 in 10 adults (87%) favor schools adopting tobacco-free campus policies in their communities. Support for tobacco-free school policies has been consistently strong -- favored by 85% of Kentucky adults in 2015 and 84% in 2013.

Most Kentucky adults favor raising minimum age to buy tobacco to 21.

The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that nearly 6 in 10 Kentucky adults (58 percent) favor raising the minimum legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21. This support has held steady since 2015, the first time KHIP asked this question. Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky sponsored the poll.

Nearly half of young adults in Kentucky have tried an e-cigarette

The most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that nearly 3 in 10 Kentucky adults reported ever using e-cigarettes. The rate is higher than national statistics, where just over 2 in 10 adults reported ever using e-cigarettes. The highest reported use was among young adults in Kentucky, where nearly half said they had ever used an e-cigarette.

Most Kentucky adults support a comprehensive statewide smoke-free law

The 2017 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) found that 71 percent of Kentucky adults support a comprehensive statewide smoke-free law. This remains the highest level of support since the poll began tracking this topic.

6 in 10 Ohio adults favor raising minimum age to buy tobacco to 21

Six in 10 Ohio adults (58 percent) favor raising the minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 according to the 2017 Ohio Health Issues Poll (OHIP). This is an increase from 2016. A majority of Democrats (67 percent) and Republicans (60 percent) favored increasing the purchase age to 21. OHIP also asked if Ohio adults support a tax increase of 65 cents per pack of cigarettes; half of Ohio adults (53 percent) were in support.

2 in 10 allow smoking in homes.

The 2017 Community Health Status Survey (CHSS), funded by Interact for Health, has found that 23 percent of adults in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area are current smokers. Although the rate has been steadily declining, our region is still higher than the nation, where 18 percent of adults were smokers in 2015.

Greater Cincinnati Health Watch

Greater Cincinnati Health Watch is a free biweekly e-mail newsletter published by Interact for Health. Each issue includes health news stories from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and the nation, with emphasis on topics related to Interact for Health's focus areas of substance use disorders, severe mental illness, school-aged children's healthcare, and community primary care.

Ohio Health Issues Poll

Community Health Status Survey

The Community Health Status Survey (CHSS) gives an in-depth look at the self-reported health of tri-state residents. The survey is a project of Interact for Health. It was most recently conducted in 2017 and was first conducted in 1996.

Kentucky Health Issues Poll

Interact for Health has always encouraged and supported data-driven decisions. It is in support of that goal that we partnered with the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky to start the Kentucky Health Issues Poll in 2008.